I Don't Want To Be Alone
by smilelaughread
Summary: What does Lily see when she encounters a boggart in her room? Written for Taragh McCarthy's Boggart Challenge. R&R


Hey! This was written for Taragh McCarthy's Boggart Challenge.

Enjoy, and don't forget to leave me a review!

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><p>Lily wearily coughed into her sleeve. She wiped her runny nose - for what had to be the millionth time that day - and sneezed. Lily absolutely hated colds.<p>

She couldn't believe that even with all of the amazing things magic could do, they still hadn't figured out a cure for the common cold. It seemed to stump both Muggle doctors and Healers alike. Sure there were spells to 'minimize the symptoms' but the mucus came back with a vengeance and the coughing and sneezing couldn't be completely stopped. Her throat was raw, her head hurt, and she couldn't breathe properly through her nose. Her muscles ached, and she just wanted to sleep.

It was past three in the morning and her eyelids were drooping, but Lily couldn't fall asleep. The moment she tried to settle down, she would start coughing or sneezing again, and would have to get a tissue to blow her nose. She wasn't just tired in the sense that it was very late - or very early? -, but she was also tired of this room. For the past few days, she had been confined to her room to avoid the spread of germs, and the separation from other human beings was really getting to her.

She had read all of the books in the room, wasn't allowed to talk to Severus or James - even through the fireplace - and was too sick to do much else. It all resulted in a very unhappy, moody Lily - completely unlike her usual self.

Resigning to the idea of yet another sleepless night, Lily swung her legs over the edge of the large bed, and slowly lowered herself onto the ground. A few shaky steps later, she was gripping the counter in the bathroom, staring critically at her reflection in the mirror. She looked horrifying!

Her face was pale - even paler than Severus' was. Her emerald green eyes didn't have their trademark sparkle, and a frown was in place, instead of her usual smile. There were dark bruise-like marks under her eyes, and she looked much too thin.

She drank a few gulps of water after filling a cup with the cold liquid. Forcing herself to get a grip, she took a deep breath and spun around. Determined to make it to her bed quickly, Lily didn't notice that her door was slightly ajar.

She slumped down against the pillows, and turned slightly to fluff one of them.

"Ahh!" she screamed when she turned back around, clutching at her heart. Petunia, her older sister, a Muggle, was siting on the side of her bed. "What are you doing here?"

Petunia smiled. It really shouldn't be called a smile, as it looked more like she was baring her teeth in am attempt to intimidate Lily. Petunia leaned forwards, and Lily moved back, pressing against the headboard.

Petunia leaned forward and slapped lily. Just a slap. It hurt. "That's what you get for being a freak." Petunia whispered in a low voice. Lily felt tears well up in her eyes. What was Petunia doing?

"Petunia. Please... please tell me you don't mean that! I-I thought we were over that."

"Oh, I _was wrong, _just like you said... I was wrong to think I wanted to be an unnatural weirdo. You're a mutant. You don't deserve my love you-you worthless piece of scum. You freak of nature!_" _

"Now, Petunia," this came from her dad, who had just come out of the bathroom with her mom. Lily was too relieved to see them that she forgot to wonder why on earth they were in her bathroom.

"Mum! Da-" she began.

"Don't use up all the insults out there, I want to put in my two cents." he finished.

Lily's eyes doubled in size. "Wha-What?"

"Lily. I want to tell you something," her mother said, smirking "I should have aborted you the second I found out I was pregnant."

"I would have pressed the issue if I had known you were _magical_." her dad added.

Tears were now steadily dripping down Lily's face. She couldn't believe whatever were telling her. They loved her, they-

"I'm going to let you in on a little secret, Lily dear. I never loved you. You caused me nothing but pain since you began kicking in my stomach. One would think you were trying to break put of there. You pulled my hair, bit me, puked on me, made me lose sleep, and disappointed me over and over again. How _could_ I love you?"

"Aww, look at poor Lily. She's blubbering like a baby walrus. And looks like one too. What have you been eating that made you gain so much weight? Tell me, so I know to avoid it." said Petunia, a gleeful glint in her eyes "Aww, going to run to greasy boy? The git has bad taste if _you're_ his girlfriend."

Lily was sobbing. How could her normally amazing, supportive family say such things?

The door to her bathroom opened yet again, and James and Severus came out. They walked up to the bed, pushing aside her parents and sister. She felt tears building up, waiting for them to say something. She fervently hoped they were going to help her.

"Lily." James muttered, staring down his nose at her. "Do you like me?"

She nodded slowly, eyes narrowed, wondering where he was going with this.

"Ew!Gross! You're a mudblood Lily, I could never be with _you!_" his simple rejection made her question her sanity. James wasn't the type to be so to-the-point. He was known for his tendency to go off on a tangent. Nevertheless, resisted the urge to cry, and turned to Severus. He raised an eyebrow.

"You weren't worth my time Lily. I can't believe I spent hours - days - explaining magic to you. Ugh, you disgusted me with all of your questions, I thought you were smart, that you were pretty, but my _friends_ made me realize I was wrong. You're a mudblood, and you should leave. Go live with your precious muggles because you don't belong here. You never have, you never will."

"But... but" Lily let the tears fall down her cheeks.

The five people huddled around her bed took a collective step back, as though she had some infectious disease that they were afraid to catch. This was her worst nightmare. The most important people in her life had turned on her! Wait. Her... worst... nightmare. That rang a bell somewhere in her head. Hadn't she read something like that while doing her homework?

"Boggart." she whispered. She frantically looked for her wand, and when she found it, Lily held it up in a trembling hand.

Severus sneered at her "You don't deserve to hold a wand." he taunted. Everyone laughed.

"R-r-riddikulus!" she yelled, but her voice was too shaky for the spell to work.

They took a step closer, and Lily wished she could take a step back. Gathering all of her Gryffindor courage, Lily looked straight ahead, at the bathroom door,and focused her mind on all of the people in the room right now, and what would make her laugh. A deep breath, and then "Riddikulus!"

Everyone began shrinking, and suddenly, there were little plastic figurines on her bed. Each was doing a little jig, and Lily feared that it hadn't worked, because it really wasn't funny. Then, the plastic Severus opened his little mouth, began singing something in a high-pitched voice, and Lily laughed. In a few moments, everything swirled together and out the door. After the initial relief that the Boggart was gone, Lily was left with one of the strangest mental images she had ever thought of - Severus singing.

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><p><strong>AN In case you didn't get exactly what Lily is scared of, she is afraid of being abandoned by the ones she loves - her family, James, Severus...**


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